Morocco-EU fishery talks, difficult and tense, says French minister

Talks between Morocco and the European Union on fishery cooperation are difficult and tense, said Friday French agriculture and fishery minister Jean Glavany adding the ministerial Council encouraged the Commission to carry on discussions.

Glavany whose country chairs the Union made the statement Friday in Brussels after a meeting of the EU ministerial council on fisheries.

Fishery commissioner Franz Fischler recalled, in a joint press-conference with Glavany, how Morocco expressed its stand to ambassadors of EU countries in Rabat saying EU will be looking with representatives of member countries into priority issues in fishery talks with the kingdom. The commissioner did not, however, talk of any re-conversion of the European fleet.

Moroccan and EU delegations parted last November 8 and will convene November 21 in Brussels to go ahead in trying to bridge the gap between their respective, and up to now irreconcilable, stands on fishery cooperation.